Bleeding Out
by JaredSadalecki
Summary: A handful of ficlets that focus on how Kayla and Logan met, how their relationship formed, and how Kayla dealt with all of it. Kayla/Logan
1. First Glance

It was just a job, she told herself. Just reconnaissance. She shouldn't feel guilty, or dirty about what she was doing. _Observe the mutant. _Those are the words Stryker had told her, blunt as they were. _Observe the mutant, and your sister walks free. _It was an easy deal; she just had to keep tabs on this one particular man until he returned to Stryker's commands.

And now that he had finally been located, it was going to be an easy job. Nothing more than watching his movements, staying out of sight, and reporting back to Stryker when the time came.

Kayla Silverfox sat behind a small, wooden teacher's desk. It was her alias for her time in the small Rockies community. A good one, at that. She had to hand it to him; Stryker didn't leave anything up to chance. A young girl, a fresh face to the workplace, she definitely wouldn't stand out here. And with such a small town, there was no need for her to get to know the man she was required to watch, just keep Stryker updated, let him know if he moved.

While she would never claim that Stryker was the one to have caused the damage, it was very convenient that three trees had fallen on the school's small playground the day before she began "working". With this man, Logan, working as a lumberjack in the town, it seemed much too coincidental for her. A knock rattled her door, startling the young woman out of her daze.

"Miss Silverfox?" an older woman asked, smiling gently

"Kayla, please." She responded, returning the woman's smile.

"Alright, Kayla. The workers for the lumberyard are here, and the principal would like everyone to recognize their faces, so that there aren't any strangers on the perimeter.

She nodded, following the woman outside. The trees had mauled the playground, and it was quite a devastation to see. It wasn't just a little sprout that fell; the trees were large. The lumbermen were hauling their tools and trucks as close to the trees as they could get. All of them men, and all of them had the same look about them. But there was one man, one man that caught her attention. His shoulders were a little broader, his arms a little thicker, and dog tags resting on his neck. "Who's that?" She asked the woman standing next to her, pointing at the man.

"Oh darling, don't go there. He's never been seen outside of his job. He doesn't speak to anyone but the men he works with. Never been late a day in his life, but he's not one for talking."

Her brow furrowed, she needed to know if this was the man. His posture and frame seemed the same, but she couldn't see his face. Casually, carefully, she put her hand on the woman's arm. "But really, what's his name?"

"Logan." She answered with a smile, turning her back and returning to the school building. So there he was, the infamous member of Team X, the one she was supposed to watch. And he was just a few feet away from her. She had to have a plan. Apparently, he didn't do anything but work, so she'd have to find a way on her drive to the school that passed by the lumberyard, just to keep her tabs on him. She wasn't risking losing her sister, not for something so trivial. She would stay out of his life, out of his way.

Kayla had no intentions of intervening with Logan's life at all – she would just be a new face in the crowd, a new wanderer. But never anything more than that.

But fate had a different plan for her.

((this is going to be a series of a bunch of little ficlets, leading up to how the two of them fell in love. I hope you enjoy it! If you have any ideas, feel free to leave them in a review or s/t 3))


	2. Startled

How the hell he appeared at her door so quickly, she'd never understand. Kayla had only just finished unpacking the small amount of clothing and housewares she had. But as she left her small abode for work, the less-than-friendly face of her employer greeted her. "Good morning Miss Silverfox."

"Stryker." She responded, smiling graciously in his direction. For all she cared, the man could fall off of a cliff, and she would care less. She had no positive feelings towards the man at all. The only reason she had gotten involved in his scheming was to free her sister. His plans were devilish, made her sick to her stomach, and Kayla refused to let her sister be a part of them any longer than she had to be.

"You look lovely as ever, Miss Silverfox." He sneered. She could have sworn she heard sarcasm on his voice. "But we have a bit of an… issue. We don't know if your _powers of persuasion _are going to work on Mr. Logan. So before the day is over, you're going to have to figure that out, and give us a buzz." He left no time for a retort, turning on his heels, he retreated to his car.

But she would do it. She had to. Emma's life depended on it, she refused to allow her sister to stay in that hell-hole she was in forever. No matter what Stryker said, she was not safe, she was not happy, and Kayla was her only chance at freedom.

She would make contact today; she had to. Emma's life depended on it. There was no telling the things that Stryker would do if his needs weren't met. And besides, she wasn't going to kill him, just see if her gift would work on him. God only knew that it would make this job a hell of a lot easier on her, but she refused to get her hopes up. The drive to the school didn't last nearly as long as she would have liked. How was she going to do this? How in the world would she find a situation where she could place a hand on his arm and command him to do something. She couldn't overstep her bounds but at the same time, Emma's safety was at stake.

Luckily for her, she was one of the first of the teachers to arrive. The lumberjacks were already there, and chopping away at the trees. She wasn't an expert at log cutting, but she definitely thought that it wouldn't take as long as it did. Dropping her bags onto the desk, Kayla fished around for a water bottle. It was the best idea that she had. Completely harmless. No one in his or her right mind would suspect anything other than perhaps casual flirting. And even then, she could claim innocence. She was simply a kind-hearted young woman that was new to town, and wanted to make some friends.

There wasn't much chatter between the men as they worked, nothing more than the sound of metal against wood, and the grunts of the men hauling the timber to the trucks. She stood around for a moment, pretending to be engrossed in the way that the school building had been made. Logan walked by, axe in tow. "Hi!" Kayla said happily, flitting over to where he was. She did her very best to look as innocent and matronly as possible. "I thought you might like a water bottle! Heaven only knows how hot you all get doing this manual work." She smiled, handing the water bottle in his direction.

She was not expecting what happened next.

Their eyes met, and she was taken aback. She could see the years in his eyes, the terror that he must have seen. His eyes were so old, so soft, and yet the rest of him was young and rugged. He was beautiful, everything about him screamed innocence. This couldn't possibly be the man that Stryker was looking for. His appearance did not match the horror stories that she had heard. "No thank you, Miss…?"

"Silverfox." She spluttered. "Kayla Silverfox."

"I don't think I've ever seen you around. New in town?"

"Mhmm." She said, feeling the blood rush to her cheeks. "Just moved in last week."

"Welcome to town then. But no thank you." Logan slung the axe over his shoulder, beginning to walk away from her.

"Wait!" She said, grabbing his arm. "Please, you'll need it more than I will. Just take it." Kayla smiled at him, regaining her ground

"I'll be alright, really." He said, turning his back and returning to work.

Embarrassed, flustered, worried, Kayla retreated back inside. Slumping down at her desk, she sighed.

_What in the world am I supposed to do now?_

((okay, so another short one, but idk. i rushed this one out because i just needed them to meet, so i can get to the good stuff. i haven't decided if i wanna go AU with this, or make it horribly painfully sad. suggestions?))


	3. Not Together

Two weeks now, that's how long it had been since she'd spoken to Logan. Her drive to the school passed right by the lumberyard, and it was never hard to pick him out of the pack. A little taller, his shirt fit a little tighter, everything about him was just a little… _different. _She might never be able to put her finger on it. Even so, she tried to keep her mind off of it. The last thing she needed was any sort of connection with him. That would make leaving the town, walking away, that much harder.

Kayla needed groceries. She could only survive off of the cereal and the soup that she had in her pantry. And she'd be damned if she ate Chinese take-out one more night. The grocery store would have just what she needed, and probably then some. She hated to have to spend the entirety of her first paycheck on food, but that's what adulthood is about, right?

Her old truck rattled to a stop in front of the Extra-Foods. It was a bit of a haul from her house, but the prices were good and the variety was plenty. Hopefully she wouldn't have to come back for a couple more weeks.

Shopping list in hand, Kayla was ready to overthrow the task at hand. Elevator music played overhead as she began her quest for groceries. Her list wasn't too long, but she was going to make sure she checked every aisle for anything she might want.

That's where the trouble began.

She wasn't short, not in the least bit. Kayla stood proud at five eight, but when the shelves at the top _still _towered over her head, there was something wrong. Looking around, she saw that there weren't that many people around, or employees to help her get the items down, so she was left to fend for herself. Again.

It was her cereal; it wasn't something that she could just forget about. She needed her cereal. But of course, It was going to be the hardest thing for her to get. Of course. Pushing her cart a bit ahead of her, she stretched up, using the lower shelf as a balance. She was just an inch or two away, but she still couldn't reach it.

A deep chuckle came from behind her. "Need a hand?" Before she had he chance to answer, a thick arm gently moved her aside, and grabbed the box from the shelf for her. "It's Kayla, right?"

Words escaped her. He was right there, right in front of her, again. Her breath hitched in her throat as she found herself lost in those ancient, beautiful eyes once more. She was in big trouble, especially if she didn't get out of here quickly. "Yeah, Kayla." She said quietly, taking the box from him. "Thanks for the help." She said, nodding.

"Anything for a pretty lady." Logan chuckled, leaning onto her cart. "What's got you out so far from home? I thought teachers slept at the school."

"Groceries." Kayla answered, trying to turn her attention back to her shopping list. "This is the best grocery store, even if it's a little bit of a drive." And then, before she could stop herself. "What about you, you live around here?"

"Nah, I don't live too far from the lumberyard, but this place sells batteries in bulk for pretty cheap, so I make the drive too. But, I won't keep you from your shopping." Logan made a dramatic movement, pointing to her list and moving away from her cart.

"Thanks." She responded, nodding in his direction as she began to push her cart. Contrary to what he said, it seemed like he had no intention of leaving her alone, not just yet, at least. He followed beside her, quietly. It was almost comforting, she thought. But she immediately cast that thought out of her head, she couldn't allow herself to be comfortable around him, nothing could happen between them.

"So…" Logan drawled, after about five minutes of silent shopping. "What do you say to a drink? We live pretty close together, and you're different."

"I think I'll have to pass." Eyes forward.

"Just as friends?"

"We'll see. I have to get home now, though. Don't want the milk to spoil."

He looked defeated, and Kayla certainly felt the same, she would love to get to know him, have a couple of drinks, share a drunken moment. And had they had met on different terms – she probably would. But she couldn't now. She was a hunter, and he was her prey. She was a spy, and she couldn't allow herself to become more than that.

He followed behind her to the check out line. After she had finished loading her stuff up onto the counter, he side-stepped in front of her, placing her batteries with her stuff. "It's all together."

Kayla didn't realize that she had groaned until after the fact. Throwing her arms up in the air she told him, "I can pay for my own groceries, Logan."

"All together." He repeated again to the woman behind the counter.

"It's not all together!" She claimed. "He just has the batteries."

"All together."

She groaned, starting to put her groceries back into her cart. Logan stopped her, grinning wolfishly as he did so. "All together."

"I don't even know you. I could be crazy. I could be a psychopath, and you want to buy my groceries."

"Anything for a pretty lady."

The lady behind the counter laughed. "You two are so cute. I remember when my husband and I had first started dating. Acted just like the two of you." She sighed, scanning the items into the system.

"We aren't together." Kayla sneered. She had just wanted to stand her own ground, she could have done this entire mission without getting involved with him in any way, and he had to show up and be such a chivalrous gentleman with those beautiful eyes and that smile that could melt her heart.

No.

She couldn't let herself give in, he couldn't win. Not now, not a month from now, never. She didn't know what Stryker had planned for him, but she knew it wouldn't end well. And it would end even worse if she got closer to him.

After loading her car up, she pushed the cart back to the store. He was still there, leaning up against the bricks, like he was waiting for her. "I suppose I'll see you around, Miss Silverfox." He said, holding his hand out to her.

"Only if you're lucky." Kayla replied, smiling at him before retreating to her car, leaving him, and his handshake, in the doorway. The entire drive home, and all she could think about were those eyes of his. Such a young face, such a nice body, but eyes so old, so tired. She was in for a hell of a fight if this kept going.

All she could do was pray that they never ran into each other again. But then again, that would just be all too lucky, wouldn't it?

((okay, so I have no idea how tall either Kayla or Logan are. So I just went with Hugh and Lynn's heights. Because I figured that was my best bet. so maybe R&R and lemme know what you think? i really like this chap


	4. I've Got You

Bright and early Saturday morning, Kayla loaded her truck up with tools and supplies to rebuild her classroom, and the playground that had been destroyed when the tress fell. One of her fellow teachers, Debra, had told her about a campus workday. If she was going to be here a while, it seemed like a smart idea to try and make some friends.

The school was, disappointingly, very empty. The day had to be rescheduled due to weather-conflicts, and then construction on the building where the tree fell. But finally, three weeks after the fact, the day to rebuild and repair was here. It seemed as though it was just she, a couple of other teachers, perhaps some community members, and whoever the hell in this podunk town that rode on a motorcycle.

She was very proud of the little toolbox that she had brought, complete with a hammer, nails, and hooks to hang photos up in her classroom if she so desired. Also, in the bed of her truck, there were several pieces of wood that went with the blueprints she had of a bookshelf to put together in her room as well. She felt so handy about all of it that she hoped she could actually pull it off.

Kayla set her toolbox inside of her small room, and then went around to the playground to see what everyone else was up to. There was, much to her surprise, a fair amount of people there. The parking lot did not reflect the turnout of the workday. She wave quaintly to a couple of her fellow teachers, making brief conversation about what needed to be done. Mostly, it seemed, was maintenance. Bits of the old playground were still lying on the ground, as well as just plain litter.

And of course. It was just of course. Nothing else could have happened, of course not. Today couldn't have gone smoothly. She couldn't have had just a day to herself. But of course he was there. Why did she even expect that he wouldn't be? Everything in her knew that she was stupid to think that there was a chance that he would leave her alone. Her job was to observe him and make sure that he stayed inside of the watch of Stryker. That was it. Why did it have to be so difficult?

And more importantly, why did she have to suppress a smile when he waved to her.

"Kayla!" He called across the playground, bounding over to her. He looked like a puppy, so sweet and innocent.

No.

No no no.

"So… it would appear that I must be pretty lucky, eh Miss Silverfox?" A deep chuckle followed. "Okay, so here's the thing. The men are getting ready to haul this scrap metal out to the road to be taken away. And they say I can't lift this piece," He gestured to half of the swing set "on my own. What do you think? I betcha a drink that I can." He said with a wink.

"No, I don't think you can." Kayla said, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Alright, it's a bet!" He said, grinning.

Dammit

"And if you can't, you have to put my bookshelf together." She told him, immediately regretting her words. If he couldn't? What did that mean, of course he couldn't. It was a huge piece of heavy metal. And the last thing that she needed was to be in a small room, alone with him. That wasn't part of the plan, not in the least bit. So why wasn't she walking away, why wasn't she stopping herself?

This would hurt, if she kept going down this road. There was no doubt in her mind that it would hurt like hell when it was all over. Was that what she wanted? 20 minutes of happiness for a lifetime of pain?

"You've got yourself a deal Miss Silverfox."

"You don't have to – " She found herself saying half-heartedly. Of course he did. Her eyes were glued to him, praying that maybe, just maybe, he could lift it. She could handle a drink much better than having to be in the room, alone, with this gorgeous man. A man that had already shown interest in her.

She would rather eat nails

But at the same time…

_Stop it Kayla. You're stronger than this_

Logan's eyes never left hers as he backed to the swing set. "If I can't lift this, I have to help you with your classroom, correct?" A nod. He laughed, as if he was holding back a secret, something that only he knew. He braced himself against the bars, and pushed. Kayla bit her lip, holding back a gasp as she watched the muscles in his arms constrict. There wasn't any way in hell or on earth that she was going to be able to go through with this. He was a god.

But the bar didn't budge. It stayed right where it had been left. "Told you so…" She mumbled, turning back.

"To your classroom then, Miss Silverfox."

"You can call me Kayla." She said over her shoulder, trying not to sound too eager about it. Miss Silverfox just sounded so… professional.

"I like the teacher-vibe, thanks though." He called after her, quickly catching up with her pace. There wasn't any way around it. She had made this stupid, childish bet, and now she was going to have to go through with it. "Alright, so what needs to be done?"

"I've got the stuff in the back of my truck, it just needs to come inside. The plans are in the toolbox." She said, pointing to the box on her small desk.

They brought everything in without much conversation, and really, there wasn't too much said during the work in the room. It was just nice to have him around, dare she say it. He was a comforting presence. It couldn't hurt if they saw each other like this – in passing, every once in a while, right?

Kayla knew all too well that that was wrong. "Alright, bookshelf's built." He said. She had no recollection of how much time had passed.

"That was quick."

"Lumberjack, remember?" He said with a grin. "The only problem is the spot that you want it, there's a chalkboard there. Chalkboard can come down, easy. You've got three more. The big thing is the hooks and nails that were holding them up, do you still want them there?"

Kayla just stood there for a moment, trying to figure out why he was trying so hard to impress her. She wasn't special. She was just a new face in town. And he was… so different. He could have any woman that he wanted, so there was no reason for him to be interested in her. "I guess if you could take the nails out, that would be great?" She said from behind her desk. She had been working on painting the piece of furniture, because the molted grey just wasn't appealing to her.

"No can do boss. I can't reach them."

"What do you mean you can't reach them? You're this giant beast of a man!" She teased, laughing to herself

"Not tall enough. Come here and give me a hand, Miss Silverfox."

She could almost hear the teasing in his voice now.

"If you can't reach it, how in the world do you expect me too?"

"You're going to stand on this desk, I'll make sure you don't fall."

"And you can't stand on the desk because…?" There was no way in hell Kayla was going through with this. For one, the desk was older than she was, and was less stable than a mental ward. And two, she was not going to let him be that close and that in control of her.

"Because if you were to spot me, I'd crush you if I fell, now don't make me come and get you." He growled playfully.

He was much too comfortable around her, she couldn't stand it. If this were any other time, she would give him the flirtation that he was delivering. She would consider herself lucky to have gained the attention of such an attractive gentleman. If it had been anyone but Logan, _The Logan, _she would play right along. But because it was Logan, she couldn't.

She wanted so badly to give in to him, to learn what his lips would feel like against her own. "I'm coming." She grumbled, laying her paintbrush beside her. "How are we going to do this?"

"You just get up on this desk, and I'll make sure that you don't fall, it'll be fine." He said with a shrug.

"Fine for you…" She muttered, stepping into a chair, and then onto the desk. It was as wobbly as she had imagined. But what she hadn't imagined was the hand on the small of her back, keeping her steady. She felt the blood rush up her neck and to her cheeks.

"I've got you."

"I know." Yes he did. He's got her right where she swore she wouldn't be. The first time they met, that stupid encounter at the grocery store, she had been strong enough to fight him off, to push back the attraction that she felt for him. But standing here, it was like she couldn't hide. "Alright, got 'em."

She closed the small nails in her hand, and began to step down from the desk. A hand enclosed around hers, guiding her and keeping her steady and she stepped down from the desk. At that moment, they were impossibly close. She could smell the forest on his skin, feel the strength in his arms. She would give anything to be wrapped up in those arms, one could only imagine the feeling of safety that he would have about him.

Their eyes met. "Logan…" she whispered "We can't."

He didn't say a word, simply stepped back and went to moving the bookshelf. Kayla swallowed hard, returning to her desk. She began to clean up, this could be finished another day, today she just wanted to go home.

"Is that all you needed?"

"Yeah, thanks."

They walked out of the building in silence, Kayla was loading the back of her truck back up when she heard a screeching sound. It sounded like metal being drug across the concrete.

When was she ever wrong?

Looking over, she was Logan, with the swing set bar in one hand, completely off of the ground. "What's your favorite bar? You owe me a drink." The grin on his face was unbelievable. She would be lying is she said she was surprised.

"You just don't know when to quit, do you?"

((okay, so i know this one is long and actually really boring, but the next two chapters have some great stuff in them :D))


	5. Just a Drink

"This hole in the wall is your favorite bar?" Logan asked with exasperation, plopping himself down at a small table. Kayla sat opposite him, desperately trying not to make eye contact. "This place is actually a dump. I should have taken you to _my _favorite place. It's much better than this one.

"I just moved here less than a month ago, give me a break!"

One drink, that's all she would allow herself. Anything more than that would be caving in to him, and that couldn't happen. She was strong enough to share a drink with this man, and then walk away unscathed.

But that was before one drink turned into two, and her head was beginning to throb a bit. "Want another?" Logan asked, beginning to stand.

"Are you trying to get me drunk?"

"Is it working?" A sly grin followed

"No, no more drinks for me. I'm done."

"Whatever, lightweight. I'm getting another."

She had to refrain from sticking her tongue out at him. He just made her feel so… alive. She hated it. She should never feel that way about him, never. But why couldn't she help it, why didn't she care?

He had four more drinks before she decided she should call it a night. Why she had decided that she needed to sit with him through, she'd never know the answer. He was compelling. Just listening to him talk. Stupid things, the men he worked with at the lumberyard, the plumbing problem he was facing. She hung on every word that he said, everything.

She didn't live far from the pub, so it didn't matter if she was a little tipsy, she would be fine to drive. And she certainly didn't need the escort to her car. But he insisted. Not only had she lost the bet, but she was also losing everything that she stood for.

"Miss Silverfox" He slurred slightly, grinning as he opened her truck door for her.

"Thank you, sir." Kayla responded, finding herself returning the grin.

He moved closer to her, resting his hands on either side of her head.

"Logan…" Her eyes met his, and she could see the determination in his eyes. "Logan you have to stop." She whispered, but even she didn't believe the words that left her mouth. She knew what she wanted, and it wasn't for him to stop.

His lips met hers hotly. She wasn't expecting the fierceness that he kissed her with, nor was she expecting to reciprocate so strongly. It was everything she had ever imagined that kissing him would be like, and then it was completely different than anything she had ever dreamed.

He grinned against her lips, pulling back slightly. "Three weeks."

"What?" She asked, breathless.

"Three weeks." Is all he said, putting his lips to hers again. This kiss was different, softer. His hands were around her waist, holding her against him. Their lips moved together in wonderful synchronization. Perhaps she was lost in the moment, but she could have sworn that she was meant to spend the rest of her life kissing Logan, to kiss him every day for the rest of her life.

Stryker was the furthest thing in her mind, as was the mission. The only thing that she knew in that moment was Logan.

He pulled away, resting his forehead against hers. For several moments, they stood there in a blissful silence. "Three weeks." He said finally. "That's how long I've wanted to kiss you, the stubborn schoolteacher hell-bent on giving her water bottle to me. And let me tell you, you didn't disappoint."

"Let go." She said softly, gently pushing away. She would never be used to this strange man, the man who was unaffected by her gifts. What was he?

"Don't do this Kayla, don't pull away. Let yourself, let this happen. I won't hurt you." He said the last part softer than the rest, as if he said it more to himself than to her.

"That's not what I'm worried about." Reality came crashing down. There was no doubt that Stryker would find out about this little rendezvous that happened tonight. He would know, and he would use it against her.

"Kayla, I've just met you. I can't go on wondering what might have been. You're unlike anyone. You're… you're different."

"You're drunk."

"I can't get drunk, not with six beers."

"What?"

"Nothing, forget it. All I know is that I'm sober enough to be serious about this, about us. Right now in this moment."

"We just can't, Logan. I'm sure you'll understand sooner or later." Worming her way out of his grip, she slid into her truck. "Thank you, for the drink." She smiled sadly. She wanted to get to know him, learn what makes him smile, his favorite breakfast food, how grouchy he was in the morning. She wanted to study the contours of his back, learn about the agony and age hidden behind his eyes. But she couldn't. In another life, another time, sure. But not with the cards that they had been dealt.

Driving away, she looked in her rearview mirror, watching the dejected figure disappear from her view. And if only it would be as easy to see him leave her life.

She didn't realize how hard the tears were falling from her eyes, at least not until it was too late to do anything about it. She had made her choice.

((omg, this chapter makes me sad. But! I'm thinking of doing the next one from logan's pov, what do you think?))


	6. What Are You?

Crap.

What the hell was he doing?

Shit.

He shouldn't be doing this. This was the last thing he needed. He couldn't be trusted; he was an animal, a monster. He could hurt her, why. Why did he let himself go? What if something had happened? He would never forgive himself. He was done killing people, but what if it just happened. His sense were heightened, he wasn't one hundred percent in control of himself.

He could have killed her.

But did he really even know her? She was beautiful, absolutely gorgeous. But what else did he know about her? She was a schoolteacher, new to town, and she had bad taste in bars. But that's it. He knew nothing more about his strange, mysterious Kayla.

And all he wanted to do was learn.

He wasn't drunk; he couldn't get drunk that easily. His stupid "gift" made sure of that. But Kayla was a different story. She was perfectly human, and a little less than sober. He shouldn't have let her drive home by herself.

Logan sighed, revving up his bike. He had to make sure that she made it home safely. He'd never forgive himself if this gorgeous, tipsy girl got into a wreck because he couldn't wait to show off to her. She was a smart girl, and even if this didn't work out, he couldn't let her die because of his pride.

He sped off in the direction that she went, completely unprepared for what lied ahead of him. But if it had been anything different, he would have worried that perhaps his life was going to get easier.

Her truck was wrapped around a tree. He swore loudly, grinding his bike to a stop behind her totaled vehicle. "Kayla!" he shouted, darting to the driver's side door. The airbag had deployed, and was now deflated against the steering wheel. The driver's side window had shattered, leaving glass spread around both the inside of the car, and right outside.

"Kayla, can you hear me?" He hollered again, trying the door.

Jammed

"Damn."

Logan braced himself, pulling hard on the door. It budged slightly, giving to his strength. "Oh come on." He said, yanking it hard. The door gave, screeching as it broke off of the hinges. "Thanks." He said, tossing the door aside like a toy. He thanked whatever gods there might be, for this stupid mutation that he had. He would be able to save at least one person with it.

Immediately, he put his hand to her throat, searching for a pulse. "Oh thank god." He muttered. She was alive, just unconscious. "Kayla, Kayla come on babe. Wake up." He said, moving his hand to her cheek. She had a deep gash in her forehead, probably from flying glass. He had to get her out of the car, he could figure out the rest later, but for now she couldn't just stay in her totaled car.

He braced himself against the rim of the car, reaching around to the seatbelt buckles. "Dammit" Of course it was jammed. He could rip it out of the seat, but then he'd have to adjust her entire position to get it off, and he didn't know what, if anything, was broken.

She stirred.

"Kayla?"

A mumble.

"Kayla, can you hear me?"

"What the hell?" was the first thing out of her mouth.

"Shh, shh, it's okay. Look at me, hey – hey it's gonna be okay, look right here." Their eyes met, and he gave a soft smile. "That's much better, huh?"

"What happened?"

"Shh, it doesn't matter, you're alright. We've gotta get you out of this truck, though."

"Okay." She went to move, letting out a low hiss.

"I didn't say _you_ had to get you out." Logan retorted. "Just look at me, okay. Look at me, right here." He pointed to his eyes. He didn't want to do this, it was a huge risk, but he had to get her out, and she was obviously hurt. "Don't close your eyes, don't look anywhere else." He held her eye contact, curling his hand into a fist. He clenched his teeth, allowing just one of his _gifts_ to release from his skin, behind his back. He repositioned himself, so that his left hand was on her cheek, as if willing her to look him in the eyes.

"I'm gonna get you okay, okay?" He said, moving the hand behind his back very slowly. He had to cut the seat belt, it was the only option he saw. Sure, she had tools in the back of her truck, but nails and hammers weren't going to do much good now, and any sharp tools that she had would put her at more risk than this would.

"Hey, hey it's gonna be okay, just look at me, look right here. I've got you Kayla, I promise." Logan glanced down quickly, making sure that his claw would cut the seatbelt correctly, and when he did, her eyes followed.

Her scream resonated in the surrounding area for several moments, and by the time silence blanketed over them again, her seatbelt had been cut. "Kayla."

"Don't touch me." She said, tears brimming her eyes.

"Kayla, listen to me. I have to get you out, or you'll die in this car."

"What are you?"

"I'm Logan. We shared a beer, I'm the same man I was in the bar less than an hour ago." He held his hands up, showing her that they were, indeed, just hands now. "After this, you'll never have to speak to me again, if that's what you want. But please trust me until I get you out of here."

She nodded.

Gently, he slid his arm underneath the crook of her leg, bracing her with his other arm, and he slowly slid her out of the car. The road was completely empty, so there was no chance of getting someone to get help for them, at least not at this moment. He held her close, and despite what had just happened, Kayla had a tight grip on his shirt.

"I've got you, Kayla. You're gonna be okay."

And all she said was "Okay."

((this was originally going to be two chapters, but I wanted the second part to be from kayla's POV and it's been waaaaay too long since I've posted something for you guys. So here's a choppy, less than satisfactory logan pov.))


	7. I Own You

She woke up to the sound of steady beating. The air was stagnant and smelt stale. She opened her eyes slowly, blinking the haze away. The room was painfully white, bright. It took her a moment before she realized where she was, and when she did – she wasn't happy.

"What the-"

She moved slightly, repositioning herself in the small trundle as much as it would allow. The first thing that caught her eye was the last thing that she wanted to see. Logan sat; sound asleep, in the small chair next to her bed. "Logan!" She hissed, seeing no reason to let him sleep any longer. He had explaining to do.

He stirred, groaning as he woke up. "Good morning buttercup. How are you feeling?"

"Where the hell am I?" She didn't have time for his snarky tongue and flirting. She had seen things last night that shouldn't be real, nothing that should have ever existed. Was it a dream?

"Where do you think you are?"

"A bloody hospital, but why am I here?"

"You wrecked your truck, do you not remember?" The hope in his voice was unbelievable.

"Oh, I remember enough." She spat, looking away from him.

"Look, I saved your life, Kayla. The least you could do is thank me."

"What are you?"

Logan looked away, as if trying to push off the conversation that they had to have. She knew too much as it was, he had trusted her with his secret, and now he had no choice. If he wanted to keep her in his life, the only chance that he would have would be to explain himself.

"Logan. What are you?" She repeated.

"Are you in pain, do I need to go get a nurse?"

"I swear to god Logan-"

"Okay, okay. My name is James Logan Howlett. I was born in Alberta, Canada." He paused, looking over to her, "1885."

"That's not possible – you can't be that old."

"I'm a mutation, Kayla. You know that, you saw. Watch." He rose from his chair, crossing the room. On the table in the room, there was a scalpel. He picked up the instrument, turning back to Kayla. "I can't die." He pressed the scalpel against his forearm, dragging it across his skin. Kayla gasped as he drew blood, and once again as the wound closed up on its own, and simply disappeared. No scar, no blood, nothing. It was if it never happened.

"How-"

"I don't know, Kayla. I'm sorry, I wish I had an answer for you, but I don't. It just happened to me, I was the lucky one. I can't get rid of it, I can't change it, and I can't die. But I promise you, Kayla. I will never hurt you."

She didn't say anything, she had nothing to say. She just couldn't wrap her head around what he was telling her. It was the truth; it had to be. There was no way he could have faked the things that he had shown to her. She had to believe that he really _was _close to a century old.

"I…" She started, her voice not as strong as she would have liked. "What about the – " She trailed off, clenching her fists.

"My claws?" He laughed, shaking his head. "They're just bones. I was born with them, and I assume I'll die with them." He smiled softly, taking her hand into his own. "There will be more time for this later. You're tired, you should rest. I'll be around in a little bit." And without another word, Logan left the room.

Kayla couldn't help but feel a pang of remorse when he left. She hadn't meant to get that angry, she had just wanted answers. If she had known, perhaps she could have been nicer about it. But like he said, there would be more time for questions later, if she wanted. And now more so than ever, she wanted to fill her time with him. With Logan gone, she had to opportunity to examine the damage that the crash had done. Her left arm was in a cast, so that was broken. And the rest of her just sort of ached. She had something on her forehead, and she assumed it was to stop bleeding, but, in all honestly, she remembered very little about the pain she felt during the crash, or anything that had happened to her body.

"Miss Silverfox, you're going to have to be more careful."

Kayla groaned, the one person that she didn't want to see, the one man that she could have lived the rest of her life without, was standing next to her bed. "I hope he sees you." She spat.

"Well well well, someone's not in a chipper mood, hmm? Relax, he won't see me, he's left the wing."

"How did you know?"

Stryker laughed "Please Kayla, you think I'd let my little wildcard completely out of my sight? The bartender tonight? Works for me. Your nurse? Works for me. I _own _you, Kayla. Don't ever forget that." He sneered at her, pacing. "Also, you might want to remember the reason you're here in the first place, Emma? If you don't follow my directions, you won't be so happy with your baby sister's state."

Kayla mumbled an apology, looking away from him.

"It's quite alright, you just needed to remember your place, dear. Now, we'll replace your truck for you. If Logan, or anyone, should ask where, you tell him that you used the rest of your daddy's life insurance to pay for it. And… there's been a slight change of plans."

"What's that?"

"Logan _likes _you. We weren't expecting that. But then again, that is _your fault,_ Kayla. You shouldn't have continued to lead him on like you have. Unless of course, you like him too?" Kayla shook her head, refusing to look at him. "That's what I thought. Either way, you've convinced Mister Logan to become smitten with you, and we're going to use that. We need you to get as close to him as possible, Kayla. So that when we rip you from him, his heart breaks. Understood? We need you to break the immortal beast that's inside of him."

"I can't-"

"Oh but you can." Stryker sneered. "Because if you don't, your sister is literally one phone call away from her death. Think of it this way, until we take you from him, he will be the happiest that he's been in a long time. Just focus on that." He said, turning on his heels. "And remember, Miss Silverfox, _you work for me."_

Kayla's breath hitched, and she bit back the tears. She had two choices, she could lose her sister, or she could betray the trust of this man she had just met. Pretend to fall in love, lead him on, love wasn't a hard decision to make, but it would be a hard path to follow.

And an even harder one when she was falling for him, too. What if it wasn't pretend?

**A/N; I love you guys, and I love seeing the reviews! But, I'm at a bit of a roadblock, I know what I want to happen AFTER all the drama goes down, but I don't know how to get there. Maybe suggestions or a prompt for a little fic? Anything you guys wanna see? **


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